Rainbow performed on this day in 1981 at the Forum in Inglewood, California.
Rainbow were early in their Difficult to Cure Tour. At this point they were touring with Canadian guitarist Pat Travers. They were supported here by 4 Out of 5 Doctors.
A review of the concert suggests another writer considered Rainbow to be increasingly mainstream, continuing a trend among music writers. This one found particular issue with new singer Joe Lynn Turner (source). This criticism would dog Turner in other collaborations he undertook, including with his later work in Deep Purple.
This concert is known to have been recorded and is in circulation online.
The group performed at the Inglewood Forum, a venue legendary within the Deep Purple music family. It was the location which hosted that band’s American debut back in 1968.
It was built beginning in 1966, financed by Canadian-American entrepreneur Jack Kent Cooke and designed by architect Charles Luckman. Luckman had also designed Madison Square Garden on the East Coast. This building was designed to evoke an old Roman sports arena with an oval shape, arches on the exterior, and no visible support pillars. Its capacity is about 18,500, with no seat more than 170 feet from the floor.
It first opened in 1967. As a sports arena, it hosted the NBA Lakers and the NHL Kings until 1999, whose franchises were owned by Cooke. Aretha Franklin sang there in 1968 as the first musician to perform there.
In 2014, the venue was renovated and reopened with the Eagles as the star performers.
The Forum is still in use today; it’s site can be found here. It is now operated by the Madison Square Garden Company.
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